LIFE OF HERBERT
Text, etc.—The Life of Mr. George Herbert was first published in 1670, 12mo, with his letters to his mother, etc. It was also included in the collected Lives of 1670. All his known writings have been edited by Dr. Grosart for the Fuller Worthies Library, 1874, and the Aldine Poets, 1876.
134. he was elected … Cambridge. He was admitted scholar 5th May 1609, and matriculated pensioner at Trinity 18th December 1609.
135. her husband died. Sir Richard Herbert died in 1597.
136. in Oxford four years. From 1598 to 1603-4.
142. Bachelor of Arts in 1611. The correct date is 1612-13.
142. Matter of Arts, 1616. See also p. 143. These data were furnished to Dr. Grosart by the University authorities.
143. chosen Orator. 18th January 1620.
149. many Seals. See vol. i. p. 72.
150. a sinecure. Whitford is in Flintshire.
152. cross-bias me. A bowling-green image.
154. Prebend of Layton Ecclesia. Grosart points out that Walton was wrong here. Herbert was not a Deacon. He held the prebendary of Layton (Leighton Bromswold) as a laic, as he did the sinecure rectorship of Whitford.
163. she died in the year 1627. In June. On July 1 Donne preached her Funeral Sermon. See ante, p. 139. When it was published (London, 1627, 12mo) Herbert appended to it the Greek and Latin poems to her memory, entitled Parentalia; these were the chief verses he published in his lifetime.
165. three months after this marriage. It took place at Edington on 5th March 1629.
167. canonical clothes. This, as Dr. Grosart says, shows that he "was still a layman."
167. Parsonage of Bemerton. In the presentation in the Record Office, which is dated 16th April 1630, ten days before his induction, it is styled "Rectory of the parish church of Fulston (Fuggleston) St. Peter's and Bemerton."
175. "The Country Parson." For further particulars see p. 212. Of the simplicity of this beautiful little book Canon Ainger has well said, "Not for the first or last time in our literature was it to be shown that the euphuistic tendency is killed when the writer begins to think more of his topic than himself" (Craik's English Prose, ii. (1894), 204).
190. being, seeing. Cf. also p. 258.
193. genteel, refined, well-bred.
201. "The Temple." See full title on p. 213.
205. passion, violent commotion of the mind, perturbation.
206. my last Will. This, which Walton had not seen, is printed by Dr. Grosart (Herbert's Poetical Works, 1876, p. lxi).
207. buried 3rd day of March, 1632. I.e. in 1633, as the rest of the note seems to imply. He lies under the altar in the church.